Mother's Day Weekend 2012

This is Mother's Day, the way it is meant to be spent - cuddled up on the couch in comfy clothes with a little munchkin who loves you. I'm so incredibly thankful for this little guy and so lucky to be his Mom. Though he tries my patience at times, I do love his spirited little personality and funny little sense of humor. It's so much fun watching his personality develop and helping to (hopefully) guide him in a positive direction. Being a Mom is definitely both the most challenging and most rewarding job there is and I'm so glad that God chose me to be Max's Mom.

Of course there would be no Max without me and Chris - so Happy Mother's Day to Mimi and Omi as well! And thanks to Mimi for spending her Mother's Day slaving in the kitchen to feed the family a nice meal.

Benny giving Mimi some Mother's Day love.

This weekend was a busy but entertaining one. With Ben and Les in town for our cousin Brian's wedding, we decided to start off Saturday with a visit to a model train exhibit for the boys' (and possibly PopPop's and Uncle Paul's) entertainment. With lots of buttons to push and a Thomas engine to sit in, it was a hit. The unfortunate thing, as Pop Pop so succinctly concluded, was "well, we've managed to kill 15 minutes here; now what?" It didn't take quiet as long as we thought to view the entire exhibit, and I'm pretty sure they were ready for us to leave anyway after Max chucked the toy train he brought from the car at one of the tracks!

I think we've got some future engineers on our hands. Of course, Uncle Paul still needs to tutor them in proper steam engine hand impressions, but I'm sure they'll do great!
















We managed to kill some more time on Saturday with a trip to "Rosie's", our favorite Mexican joint in Simpsonville. I was so proud that we made it through the entire meal without Chris or me having to leave the restaurant with Max. Thanks for the distraction and entertainment, Benny. I'm also SO happy to know now that Max likes salsa! (Granted he was only eating the mild....we've got to take baby steps up to the hot.)

After a nice nap for everyone at the Ludwig house, we headed off to Brian and Julie's wedding. I wish I could say that Benny was able to distract Max for the ceremony, but unfortunately Max (and Chris) made his exit before the ceremony even started. If we had only known that they were hanging out in the room behind the sanctuary, complete with window and speakers (AND SNACKS), we might have all joined them. By the end of the ceremony Benny and Leslie and Julie and the Rogers boys had all joined the crew...a one hour ceremony is a bit much for children under 6. I'm just relieved that none of us will be remembered for posterity on Brian and Julie's wedding video for the screaming children in the background...so, tragedy averted all around.  It was a lovely wedding and a new Julie Eddy has joined the family!

Edit: Chris was holding out on me....here are Max's adventures during the ceremony:

After a quick wreck in the parking lot at the church (thank goodness for my Clemson trailer hitch - no dents on the Kia!), we were off to the reception at the Embassy Suites.

Cake? I LOVE cake!!!

 Max enjoyed running like a wild man all around the lobby, looking at the fish and making me look like the crazy lady who can't control her toddler. From time to time he pretended like he was going to calm down....

but that didn't usually last long....

The Tiger provided a temporary distraction. Max and the Tiger go way back...to before he was born, but I don't think Max remembered his buddy.


Max, in utero

Max, wishing he was in utero.

Sadly, we didn't last until the cake came out....but Max didn't manage to knock the cake over so I'll go ahead and consider the night a (tiring) success. Congratulations to the new couple and may you be as happy in your new life together as we are in ours! :)

A Happy Family. They should use us as the generic family that comes in photo frames before you add your personal photo.